Environmental policy and administrative management

The community is not aware of the importance of natural heritage and this leads to high destruction of the natural environment, cultural heritage and wildlife in the habitat; this happens at an alarming rate that the future generation will not be able to enjoy the availability of these resources. Mokema is endowed with cultural heritage in the form of san rock art and wetlands that are important habitats for various bird species and other resources like grasses that are used for making handicrafts. However the rock art is being destroyed by livestock when \ scratching against the rocks and dust from trampling on the soil around the rocks. The art is further destroyed by people who splash the rocks with water to accentuate the san paintings causing the rock to peel off. Wetlands by virtue of them being wet all year around are always greener and thus become the preferred areas for grazing especially during the dry season and for livestock watering. The Mokema wetland is surrounded by cropland. Therefore the wetland is threatened by siltation and contamination by run-off loaded with agro-chemicals; trampling by livestock; and, uncontrolled killing of birds that inhabit the wetland. The primary objective of the proposed project is to preserve the wetlands resources and cultural heritage of Mokena. Envisaged interventions include: fencing and paving the san rock art area and controlling access to the resource; implementing land rehabilitation and soil and water conservation activities in the wetland catchment; and documenting the bird species found in the wetland area and putting in place by-laws to control access to the wetland resources. Ecotourism activities will also be promoted.

Lesotho